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Monday, 14 August 2017

Custom Figure: TV21 Dalek Comics Menoid Master Mechanoid

The Menoid Master is the leader of the Mechanoids in the TV21Dalek comic strips, which told the story of Dalek history and conquests in world outside of Doctor Who. Whereas the Mechanoids that appeared in The Chase were simply robots that were abandoned on the planet Mechanus, the Mechanoids of the comics were a different story. As the Daleks began their plans for conquest across the cosmos, the Mechanoids were among their earliest opposition – warning them to stay away from their territory. War was narrowly avoided thanks to the efforts of the Zerovians, but the Mechanoids were still wary of the Daleks and continued to consider them enemies.

Despite the fancy name, the Menoid Master is just a Mechanoid coloured red instead of the normal silver – making this a pretty simple custom to do. With The Chase being in black and white and some of my earliest Dalek memories being that of the comics, I genuinely thought all Mechanoids were red for the longest part of my childhood. I certainly think they look better in this colour scheme regardless!

This custom was painted using Revell red spray paint (followed by an identical brush paint for any tidying up) with Citadel black and white paints for the other detailing. The figure still features working wheels, moving claws, retracting top piece and switchable appendages. It may simply be an obscure repaint, but for fans of the TV21 Dalek comics this is a pretty special character.

While The Chase collectors set that the Mechanoid figure originally came with is long out of print, the set can still sometimes be found available at a discounted price. Even at its original RRP of £34.99 it’s worth it for two Daleks and a hefty Mechanoid figure, coming from a time when Character Options/Underground Toys were at the top of their game with classic Who toys. Whether or not you’ve read the comics or seen The Chase (I highly recommend it, along with The Juggernauts audio story from Big Finish), the Mechanoids are just a really cool 60s robot design. The fact that they became so well-loved among the pantheon of forgettable Doctor Who monsters just speaks for itself.